Rainbow Brite, Smurfs and Other Cartoon Characters Take Over Facebook

"The Ren and Stimpy Show" (AP Photo)

NEW YORK (CBS) Popular characters from the animated world are invading Facebook.

Like the last celebrity doppelganger craze, members of the massive social networking site are replacing their profile pictures with images from their favorite childhood cartoons.

PICTURES: Favorite Cartoons

"Change your profile picture to your favorite cartoon from when you were a kid," it says on the note that is being passed around between friends. "The goal of this game is not to see a human picture on Facebook, but an invasion of childhood memories until Monday. PLAY AND PASS ALONG!"

Based on trending Google searches on Friday, the new practice is picking up ground. Popular search terms include "cartoon characters from the 80s," "Rainbow Brite," "Smurfs," "Ren and Stimpy," "Rugrats, " and "Doug."

According to the note, the new Facebook meme has a charitable purpose.

"From now until December 7, change your profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood. The objective of this is not to see any human faces on Facebook but an invasion of memories for the fight against Violence to Children. Remember we were kids too."

Tell us, will you take part?

[DEBForbes]

"We shall overcome...someday." Now where was it I heard that?!!?

[batv2007]

If everyone does their part big or small they are giving voices for the people who cannot speak for themselves! Rising awareness and tribute as in this situation puts it out their for all to see smack in peoples faces weather or not its making financial contributions, cooperating with your local police or SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT! Obviously its a good cause or it would not have made national news! THUMBS UP TO ALL WHO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BIG AND SMALL!!

[formrusmcsgt]

Rainbow Brite, Smurfs and Other Cartoon Characters Take Over Facebook
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Only fitting as FB appeals to those arrested in adolescence....look at me! Look what I'm doing!

Sheesh.

[formrusmcsgt]

Lest I forget - "Look how many "friends" I have!"

[WVVic]

fb friends should keep in mind that thousands of true Christians do not like associating the name of the Savior with the commercialization, money changing and pagan ways of this season. There is nothing wrong with saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. Jesus was tolerant but a lot of fb cartoon people are condescending and intolerant while faking the role of Christian.

[batv2007]

This movement has nothing to do with Christmas!!!

[medwards476]

i am taking part as are all of my friends. it is a great way to bring awareness of child abuse.

[EAM24]

Again, many of us who are critical of the cartoon idea already work on this issue (as I have been involved with work to end sexual violence, oppression, child abuse, etc.) for many years. I have donated time, energy and resources towards making this world a safer place.

What I'm offering is a critique that a method like this to "raise awareness" should actually RAISE AWARENESS of this issue instead of just saying "yo, child abuse exists" because we KNOW it exists, most people know it exists, that doesn't decrease the number of kids being abused, that doesn't stop adults from hurting kids.

Coupling the image change with information about (1) child abuse and (2) local organizations that do good work on these issues helps create visibility for those organizations, so that people can volunteer, write letters to the editor, donate funds or supplies, etc all things that support that organization and therefore DOES make a difference.

And this idea that perpetrators are behind the cartoon meme ... I just think that's a bunch of gossip. There is no way to prove that and people who are perps don't generally think they are and why would they spend their time and energy on this?

I think it's far more worthwhile to have some honest discussion as to what type of change is actually CHANGE and not just empty attempts at doing good that give the "photo changer" warm fuzzy "I did good feelings" when in actuality, they didn't do anything.

[medwards476]

Here is an idea for change...hold the case workers who investigate and determine nothing is wrong responsible. Before you all jump me, yes they are over worked, but perhaps if they know that they would go to jail if one of their "charges" ends up dead or brutally beaten, they might speak up more and document better.

Also, the state politicians need to take a cut in pay (since they ask the "working people" to, and actually hire more social workers. Politicians need to cut their salaries and give that money back to the people they are sworn to protect and act in the best interests of. Just my few cents.

[pamom2002]

If you are going to make a comment to something (1) DO NOT USE CAPS and (2) spell out your words (you are not texting someone, you are giving your (supposedly) intelligent opinion).

[ninaboojasonsgurl]

if even one person out of the many that have changed their facebook pictures to a cartoon to raise AWARENESS goes out and helps even one child, that is one less child in this vast world that it being abused. these cartoons and its message are just a reminder to all of us too caught up in our daily lives to remember such a simple, yet huge thing! the cartoons make us think about our childhood, sending us back to a more simpler, peaceful, innocent time, and then we realize what we were thinking about, and see that not every child has had that type of memory. if just one person realizes that they can help, and they realized that through posting a cartoon as their status, then so be it! for all the people who are ******** about the cartoons, how bout you save your breath and just get out there and help. some of us can't, some of us will, and some of us ARE! try not to be so negative about people just trying to raise awareness. even though you may know about these things, other people may not. and there are new generations born every day, and they are growing up into this world, they deserve to know as well. we are not only passing on information to eachother, but we are passing on information for history.

[mddg0122]

So what exsctly are you accomplishing by putting this picture up?? How about if you actually go out and get involved in something. This is just a "feel-good" exercise in futility if you don't DO something.

[medwards476]

some of us lack resources to either financially help or physically help (volunteer, etc). this is a way to show support if we can not contribute financially or "go out and do something". many people work more than 1 job in this tough economy and still don't make ends meet and barely have time to sleep, what exactly are they supposed to "go out and do"? it also raises awareness for those who want to do something to research it and perhaps they can "do something".

[batv2007]

WOW ARE U ALL SERIOUS? I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING! PPL SHOWING THR SUPPORT IN EVERY WAY THEY CAN!! U ALL ARE SO VERY BITTER! WHAT IF THIS WAS A BUNCH OF ELEMENTARY KIDS SHOWING THR SUPPORT? WLD U B BASHING THEM TOO? I CAN TELL U IF U ALL WAS PPL AGAINST CHILD ABUSE... UDE SUPPORT EVERY1NZ EFFORTS! I WAS A VICTIM OF EXTREME CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT AND IT REALLY MAKES ME SICK TO SEE SUCH BITTER PPL! AND FOR THE SICKO THAT POSTED THIS WAS CREATED BY PEDOPHILES >>THRS SOMETHING WRONG WITH U!! MY FRINDS AND I MADE THIS UP AND PASSED THE IDEA AROUND!! I AM A PROUD SUPPORTER IN EVERY1NZ EFFORTS WHO SHOWS SUPPORT IN EVERY COMMUNITY FORM! AND OBVIOUSLY CBS THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT TOO OUR WE WLD NOT HAVE MADE HEADLINES IN OUR EFFoRTS!!!!